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A touching and uplifting story about living your dreams.
Glorious! tells the hilarious true story of the world’s worst opera singer Florence Foster Jenkins. This West End and world-wide hit was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award -Best New Comedy (2005) and has been seen by two million plus people across six continents.
Starring Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant, the movie (Florence Foster Jenkins) inspired by the play was released to acclaim this year. In the 1940s the singer everyone wanted to see perform live in New York was the enthusiastic soprano Florence Foster Jenkins - ' the first lady of the sliding scale'. Surrounding herself by devoted friends, almost as eccentric as she, this deliciously happy and delusional woman paid scant attention to her critics and would screech and warble to her audiences, most falling about with laughter.
This heart-warming comedy moves from Florence's charity recitals and lavish balls, through to her very odd recording sessions and her ultimate performance triumph at New York’s Carnegie Hall, incorporating her wonderfully colourful relationships along the way.
Diana McLean as Florence (best known for The Young Doctors, Number 96 and All Saints) and Mitchell Roberts as Cosme head the cast of three.
"A delightful and blissfully funny play that generates a rare glow of warmth and generous laughter." - Daily Telegraph
"A lunatically funny play that will keep you very happy... A glittering comedy with a heart." - Sunday Times
"Outstandingly droll and surprisingly touching." - The Independent
"Comically Sublime" - The Guardian
HIT’s production will be directed by acclaimed director Denny Lawrence and headed by Diana Mclean and Mitchell Roberts.
“This is not just a very funny play, it is also a touching and uplifting story about living your dreams. The central relationship - between Florence and her pianist - is ultimately quite touching, as well as hilarious.” Denny Lawrence
Diana McLean as Florence has had a long career in television, film and theatre. She is best known to the Australian public for her earlier television work via her long running role in The Young Doctors as Vivienne Jeffries and Dorothy Dunlop in the iconic Number 96 as well as roles on the ABC/BBC series Ben Hall and Winner Takes All. Diana lived in the UK and France for 16 years, and upon her return to Australia played Bess O'Brien in Neighbours and has appeared in the film A Model Daughter and has had further roles on television in Wonderland, All Saints, Water Rats, Murder Call and Backberner.
Diana’s theatre work includes Colder and The Cold Child both at the Griffin Theatre, Love & Money at The Old Fitz, Three Sisters for Cry Havoc and Other Desert Cities at the Ensemble Theatre, for which she received a 2014 Best Supporting Actress in an Independent Production nomination in the prestigious Sydney Theatre Awards. Her acclaimed role of the 91 year old grandmother Vera in 4000 Miles directed by Anthony Skuse earned her a 2013 Sydney Theatre Award for Best Actress in an Independent Production nomination. 4000 Miles performed at Under the Wharf in Sydney in 2012 and played a three week season at La Boite in Brisbane in 2014. In 2016 Diana received further plaudits for this role in Amy Herzog’s 4000 Miles with the play touring ( A Critical Stages,MopHead and Catnip Production) for three months to 20+ venues in NSW,VIC, NT and QLD.
“McLean and Multari form one of the most unexpectedly delightful and moving pairings to be seen on a Sydney stage this or any other year.” Stagenoise
“...a relationship that is powerfully poignant and captured with indelible truth and heart-warming humour by two outstanding performers (McLean and Multari)......Skuse directs a first-rate cast with a superb sense of timing, atmosphere and surprise....” The Sydney Morning Herald
Mitchell Roberts as Cosme studied Music Theatre at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
His credits include Sound of Hollywood (China Tour), Einstein: Master of the Universe (RL Productions), Tick Tick Boom (Pursued by Bear/Chapel Off Chapel), Legends in Concert & Burn the Floor (The Norwegian Epic), You’ve Got That Thing: A Celebration of Cole Porter (The Butterfly Club), Hair (StageArt), Children of Eden (Magnormous), The Hurting Game & Being Brave (Brainstorm Productions), Simply Barbara (Luckiest Productions), Naked Boys Singing (Joey Creatives) and The Beatles - Italian Tour (Palketto Stage).
